'That’s it?' Californians Celebrate mRelief's Easy Process
Key Takeaways
- Food Banks in Sacramento, Santa Barbara, and Placer, California, are partnering with mRelief to dramatically increase the numbers of people they help enroll in SNAP, which is known as CalFresh in California. Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, for example, submitted 65% more applications last year than the year before!
- mRelief’s technology enables human-to-human support, which is key for inclusive and equitable services. Last year, BIPOC community members were 40% more likely to apply with an mRelief partner’s assistance than to apply on their own.
- Across California, 20,884 individuals used mRelief’s online screener to find out they were eligible for SNAP, unlocking $17,058,750 in benefits in the Golden State.
mRelief Partners with Sacramento, Placer, and Santa Barbara Food Banks to Meet Local Needs
mRelief is proud to partner with Sacramento, Placer, and Santa Barbara food banks to help Californians enroll in SNAP. mRelief provides our customized SNAP-enrollment tool, which we call Johnnie after the visionary welfare-rights activist Johnnie Tillmon. Our partners, in turn, use the tool to help individuals easily enroll in SNAP. Local food banks know first-hand that for every meal they can provide, SNAP can provide nine.
With mRelief’s tech support, local partners like those in Sacramento, Placer, and Santa Barbara can help a client enroll via text or over the phone, often in less than 13 minutes. As Sienna Anaya Vasquez, CalFresh Program Manager at Placer Food Bank told us, “Clients can’t believe that they can do it so easily. ‘That’s it?’ they say. People are grateful and amazed. ‘I didn’t even have to drive to the county offices!’”
mRelief’s newest California partner, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, looks to mRelief to increase their accessibility. Kayla Mallari, Nutrition Manager, said, “The 3 minute pre-screener in both English and Spanish via text allows us to reach our farmworker population. We hope this partnership helps us strengthen our connection with our community.”
Meanwhile, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services is setting the pace: last year, they leveraged mRelief’s Johnnie to assist 65% more individuals with SNAP then they had the year before!
Lorena Carranza, Community Resource Manager at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, told us that her organization offers more than 160 different food distribution sites across the county. The challenge is that most distribution sites are only open in the morning and during the week. Lorena explained that many people who need food assistance actually are working during those times, though their jobs aren’t paying enough to cover their basic needs. “To help with CalFresh [SNAP] via text messaging is the most important way we can offer assistance for those who are working or have challenges getting to the distribution sites,” Lorena said. “Bringing support through texting has been a life changing opportunity for many.”
Lorena Carranza, Community Resource Manager at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, shares with Univision the power of mRelief’s partnership.
By the numbers
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services alone submitted a total of 1,188 applications between mid-February 2022 and mid-February 2023!
During that same time period, 20,884 Californians used mRelief’s online screener to find out they were eligible for SNAP, unlocking $17,058,750 in benefits in The Golden State.
Compassion is key
mRelief’s reputable local partners, such as Sacramento and Placer Food Banks, excel in providing the human compassion that can sometimes be lacking during the process of applying for public assistance. Data shows that our partners are especially key for providing equitable services: last year, BIPOC community members were 40% more likely to apply with one of mRelief’s partners than to apply on their own.
"The people at the Food Bank listen to your needs and went out of their way to help meet them. Beyond the Call of Duty. Again, thank you."
— mRelief user in Sacramento, CA
In California and across the US, food banks fill crucial gaps to make sure people can weather food emergencies, and are actively working to help prevent future crises by helping their clients enroll in SNAP. mRelief helps the helpers through our technology, training, and ongoing support. Meanwhile, key funding partners such as Share our Strength and California Endowment make our targeted outreach and technical improvements possible. Together, we wield real power to create lasting change.
If you want to learn more about how your organization or community can partner with mRelief, reach out! We’d love to explore the opportunities!
